HIV-positive Health Care Workers Research Articles

COVID-19 infection in a HIV positive health care worker: first case report from a tertiary care hospital of North India.

People living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (PLHIV) are at greater risk of developing prolonged illness due to COVID 19 leading to longer duration of virus shedding owing to their underlying immune defects. The present study compared SARS-CoV-2 infection developing at the same time among two health care workers living with and without a history of HIV and working in the same ward of a tertiary care hospital of North India. A higher viral load was reported in the SARS-CoV-2 infected worker who was immunocompromised as compared to immunocompetent patient (19,193 copies/µL vs 9.4 copies/µL). In this preliminary case report, no difference was observed in the clinical presentation of both patients at the time of diagnosis. Further studies are required to investigate the COVID-19 susceptibility and severity among HIV-infected patients.

The impact of the world Workshops on oral health and disease in HIV and AIDS (1988-2020).

The first World Workshop on Oral AIDS was held in San Diego in 1988, organized by John and Deborah Greenspan who saw the need and advantages of getting together all those health workers globally who were interested in oral aspects of HIV with a common purpose of advancing the field collectively and collaboratively. Since that time and over the following 30years, World Workshops on oral HIV have been held every four years or so. The aims of the first and all subsequent Workshops were to bring together clinicians and non-clinical scientists who have an interest in the oral manifestations of HIV disease, to share worldwide perspectives, knowledge and understanding of oral health and disease in HIV infection, to agree on global definitions and classifications of oral diseases and to identify research needs taking account of the worldwide perspectives and opportunities. Thus, there have been clinical science, social science and basic science aspects of each World Workshop. The Workshops have achieved their aims and have had impact in all three fields, leading to robust research agendas, changes in national HIV policies and international collaborations. They have led to policy declarations of access to oral care as a basic human right for both HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals and advancing the rights of all HIV-positive healthcare workers to perform clinical practice.

Ancient disease, but not a thing of the past: Pott's paraplegia in an HIV-positive health-care worker

Centro de Investigación UNINAVARRA-CINA, Fundación Universitaria Navarra, Neiva, ColombiaGrupo de Investigación MICOBAC-UN, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia.

Survey of Healthcare Workers in a Midwestern Tertiary Care Center Regarding Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Transmission Risk and Their Opinion About HIV-Positive Healthcare Workers

Survey of Healthcare Workers in a Midwestern Tertiary Care Center Regarding Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Transmission Risk and Their Opinion About HIV-Positive Healthcare Workers

Prävention der nosokomialen Übertragung von humanem Immunschwächevirus (HIV) durch HIV-positive Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter im Gesundheitswesen

To the best of our knowledge, the German Association for the Control of Viral Diseases (DVV) e.V. and the Society for Virology (GfV) e.V. are the first in Europe to provide precise recommendations for the management of health care workers (HCWs) who are infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Requirements for HIV-infected HCWs need to be clearly defined. With a permanent viral burden of less than or equal to 50 copies/mL, HIV-positive HCWs are allowed to perform any surgery and any invasive procedure, as long as the infected HCW uses double-gloving, undergoes follow-up routinely by occupational medicine professionals, undergoes a quarterly examination of viral burden, and has a regular medical examination by a physician who has expertise in the management of HIV. Unrestricted professional activity is only possible with a strict compliance to take antiretroviral therapy and if the HIV-infected HCW strictly adheres to the recommended infection control procedures. Complete compliance with the recommendation almost certainly leads to no HIV transmission risk in patient care.

Conflicts in Rights of Disclosure of HIV Status in South Western Nigeria: the Health Care Provider's Perspective.

Introduction:Close interaction between clients and health care workers as regards disclosure, refusal of treatment and right to know status has been a subject of debate in legal and medical quarters. The objective of this study was to assess perceived rights of health care workers towards disclosure of HIV status in Lagos State in Southwestern Nigeria.Methods:This was a descriptive cross sectional study carried out among 260 health care workers using multistage sampling technique. Research instruments were semi structured self administered and pre tested questionnaires. Data was analyzed using the SPSS softwares.Results:Mean age of respondents was 39.3(+3.7) years. One hundred and eight four (70.8%) of the health workers studied said that it is the right of health care workers to know the HIV status of clients before commencement of treatments, and 36 (13.8%) agreed that health care workers have the right to refuse to treat or carry out procedure on known HIV positive clients. Twenty (7.7%) said that HIV positive health care workers should not be allowed to handle clients clinically, 72 (27.7%) believed that it is the right of HIV positive clients to know the HIV status of health care workers before attending to them, 36 (13.8%) of respondents has ever disclosed their HIV status to clients before carrying out procedures on them. Fifty six (21.5%) of respondents were willing to show their result results to a HIV positive clients who insist on knowing his or her HIV status, 84 (32.3%) believed that clients has the right to refuse a known HIV positive health care workers to treat or carry out some procedures.Discussion:There was no statistically significant association between readiness to disclose HIV status and believing that health care workers have the right to know the status of clients before given them treatment ({P< 0.05).Conclusion:The need to balance out perceived rights of health care workers and clients would assist in provision of quality services to HIV positive clients.

Outcome Assessment of a Dedicated HIV Positive Health Care Worker Clinic at a Central Hospital in Malawi: A Retrospective Observational Study

BackgroundMalawi has one of the world's lowest densities of Health Care Workers (HCW) per capita. This study evaluates outcomes of a dedicated HCW HIV clinic in Malawi, created at Zomba Central Hospital in January 2007.Methods and FindingsRetrospective cohort data was analyzed comparing HCW clinic patient baseline characteristics and treatment outcomes at 18 months after inception, against those attending the general HIV clinic. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted to explore perceptions of patients and caregivers regarding program value, level of awareness and barriers for uptake amongst HCW. 306 patients were enrolled on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the HCW HIV clinic, 6784 in the general clinic. Significantly (p<0.01) more HCW clients were initiated on ART on the basis of CD4 as opposed to WHO Stage 3/4 (36% vs.23%). Significantly fewer HCW clients defaulted (6% vs.17%), and died (4% vs.12%). The dedicated HCW HIV clinic was perceived as important and convenient in terms of reduced waiting times, and prompt and high quality care. Improved confidentiality was an appreciated quality of the HCW clinic however barriers included fear of being recognized.Conclusions/SignificanceOutcomes at the HCW clinic appear better compared to the general HIV clinic. The strategy of dedicated clinics to care for health providers is a means of HIV impact mitigation within human resource constrained health systems in high prevalence settings.

Changing roles and responses of health care workers in HIV treatment and care

A key limiting factor in the scale up and sustainability of HIV care and treatment programmes is the global shortage of trained health care workers. This paper discusses why it is important to move beyond conceptualising health care workers simply as 'inputs' in the delivery of HIV treatment and care, and to also consider their roles as partners and agents in the process of health care. It suggests a framework for thinking about their roles and responses in HIV care, considers the current evidence base, and concludes by identifying key areas for future research on health care workers' responses in HIV treatment and care in low and middle income settings.

Adverse reaction to Bacille-Calmette-Guérin vaccine in a HIV positive healthcare worker

The Bacille-Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is used in Mycobacterium tuberculosis prophylaxis in at risk tuberculin-negative healthcare workers. Its use is contraindicated however in individuals with HIV infection. We herein highlight the case of a healthcare worker who developed a localised reaction at a BCG vaccination site and who was subsequently found to be HIV positive. This case emphasises the importance of eliciting risk factors for immunocompromise in individuals for whom BCG vaccination is being considered.

The HIV-positive health care worker: lessons for biosafety and ethics

After the contamination with HIV of 6 patients by an american dentist, great concern about the work of HIV-positive health care workers emerged. In spite of the good effects of preventive programs (also including other viruses more contagious than HIV, like the hepatitis virus), that concern is still confuse and misunderstood, blurred by social prejudice and intolerance with regard to HIV patients. This article shows that a policy of segregation of HIV-positive health workers is neither fair nor effective to improve biosafety. On the other hand, a responsible behavior by the positive worker is appropriate, avoiding to participate on exposure-prone proceedings. If an accident happens, anti-HIV prophylaxis with drugs, active and passive immunization against HBV should be offered to the patient. Acting on a better informed basis will brings other benefits and turn possible a new way, more human and less positivist, on facing the challenges of this new epidemic.

Screening for tuberculosis and HIV in resource-poor countries

With a high prevalence of tuberculosis present in patients infected with HIV, collaboration and coordination between AIDS and tuberculosis control programs in developing countries are essential. All individuals with or at risk of HIV infection who have symptoms compatible with tuberculosis should have a sputum smear examination. Voluntary testing for HIV would open possibilities for preventive therapy for the associated opportunistic infections. In developing countries, however, preventive therapy for tuberculosis is not operationally feasible. Except for the necessity to avoid thiacetazone toxicity, the HIV status of tuberculosis patients is of limited importance to their tuberculosis treatment. Because tuberculosis in HIV patients is associated with high attack rates, short incubation periods, and the possibility of reinfection after successful treatment, HIV patients and HIV-positive health care workers should be quarantined from suspected tuberculosis patients in institutional and health care settings.

Mandatory HIV testing and occupational therapists.

As the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) increases, so does the prevalence of HIV-positive health care workers. This study explored what effect this will have on occupational therapy service provision. Attitudes and policies of 118 occupational therapy administrators were examined in relation to mandatory testing for HIV, attitudes on treating HIV-positive patients, working with HIV-positive staff members and students, and use of Centers for Disease Control's guidelines on universal precautions. A stratified sample of 200 occupational therapy administrators, drawn proportionally from all occupational therapy fieldwork centers, was sent questionnaires. The respondents (N = 118) were asked questions reflecting policy and attitude regarding HIV-positive staff members, students, and patients and mandatory testing. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analyses were computed to examine variances related to policy, ethics, and attitudes. Few occupational therapy departments have policies regarding HIV-positive health care workers or students. Those policies in place involve disability discrimination acts and using universal precautions. More than one third of the respondents support mandatory testing of all health care workers and notifying patients if their occupational therapist is HIV-positive. A large minority of respondents would either refuse to hire or train an HIV-positive therapist or student, or would restrict patient care responsibilities. Although most occupational therapy administrators adhere to CDC guidelines and anti-discrimination policies, some concern and fear was expressed regarding HIV transmission through occupational therapy practice. This may result in administrative decisions regarding work and training responsibilities that are unnecessarily restrictive, such as limiting all patient care responsibilities.

Hospital May Lose Federal Funding for Discriminating Against HIV-Positive Healthcare Worker

Hospital May Lose Federal Funding for Discriminating Against HIV-Positive Healthcare Worker

Hospital May Lose Federal Funding for Discriminating Against HIV-Positive Healthcare Worker

Hospital May Lose Federal Funding for Discriminating Against HIV-Positive Healthcare Worker